Regarding the perceived failure of the DCEU thus far, she says, “Shazam! is to live in the same world [as the other films] but we have incredible autonomy over this brand and franchise. We are working with a different team, different producers, directors… it’s a different set-up. We don’t feel fettered by, or constrained by, the successes or failures and challenges of the other projects. That was a key component to our participation—that we be able to control the tone and the voice, and do it the way we want to. It needs to be of the world. You’ve got Justice League, Wonder Woman with a different director, so you’re going to see different points of view. I think by the time we land with [Shazam!] we’ll fit nicely within the world that’s been created, but not such a shorthand relationship. [It’ll be] enough that people say, ‘Oh, this is within the family,’ but the culture will be a little different.”
Regarding the on-going development of the film, she says, “We’re getting [script] drafts in… it’s important to make sure we get the tone right for Black Adam, which is Dwayne’s part. We don’t mind taking our time. We’re being very careful with each act and scene to go back and layer in as much as possible. We’ve got so many wonderful superhero franchises out there… we don’t need to run away from them and say ‘we can’t be that,’ but it’s important to understand what are the best aspects of a Batman [movie] versus Avengers versus Deadpool? What are the elements people are responding to? We want to move the needle.”
It can be interpreted that previously announced script writer Darren Lemke may be off the project, considering she implies they are getting multiple script drafts in, presumably from different writers, in a lottery to choose the best script. Or perhaps Lemke's script needs tremendous rewrites, again possibly from various and different writers or script doctors. What is also telling is it seems the number one priority is to get the Black Adam character perfect, with everything else allegedly taking a back seat. Not exactly something a Captain Marvel fan wants to hear, but I bet Geoff Johns is tickled pink.
2 comments:
Ugh, my faith in this project is no higher than when the Get Smart director who was attached 10 years or so back described his vision of a Captain Marvel movie as 'Big in tights'.
I am a huge longtime Captain Marvel fan and my preferred version is Fawcett-era or the 40s serial, where Cap is more manly and adult. Courageous, Wise, like the powers say.
The best Cap Marvel DC ever did was the World's Finest run 1978-81 by E. Nelson Bridwell and Don Newton. While the adventures and world around him were fantastic, Cap centered the adventures by being capable and 'modern' and effective. A real "Captain Marvel", whiz-bang. Alex Ross has done good renditions of him. The 70s comic. Gil Kane. Some of the Jerry Ordway.
I don't mind the Jeff Smith or Mike Kunkel depictions. Liked the Grant Morrison Thunderworld.
Most other depictions by DC seem to be written with an agency to make sure Cap looks like less than Superman.
So now with the Rock getting his hands all over this movie, and so many people nowadays liking Black Adam better anyway, I am bleakly expecting another disrespectful and disgraceful presentation of Captain Marvel, who won't even be called "Captain Marvel" in his own movie, and will be shunted aside in favor of his gritty anti-hero adversary.
Captain Marvel should embody the grandeur and majesty of the gods, titan, hero and king of his power set. While Billy Batson should be a ray of virtue as well as pluck in a dark and unfriendly world.
Green Hornet. Lone Ranger. Why do they keep making movies of old heroic characters, then making them NOT heroic?
P.S. I want to see the Venusian Gorillion from Whiz #6 in the movie. Or revived in the comics by the right writer and artist.
Bobby Tony,
You bring up some very good points. I agree E Nelson Bridwell's run was the best DC had to offer, with Alex Ross' material and "Thunderworld" coming in a close second.
I saw on IMDb that one of the alleged working titles for the movie is "Black Adam: Curse of Shazam". That's not a good sign. As for Captain Marvel's name in the movie, my solution is to not call him anything. The name "Wonder Woman" was never uttered in "Batman v Superman"... in fact I think the name "Batman" was only said once, everyone called him "The Bat From Gotham" (same for "Suicide Squad"). So, keep that precedent going and don't call Captain Marvel anything. In the credits, bill the actor as "World's Mightiest Mortal", and leave it at that.
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